Skinner to Host Auction of 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts December 20, 2008 Skinner, one of the nation’s leading auction houses, will host an auction of 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts in its Boston gallery on December 20th at 10 a.m. The sale will feature more than
News-Antique.com - Dec 03,2008 - In time for the holidays, the range of objects includes mosaic glass windows, lighting, handmade glass, pottery, silver, metalwork, rugs, sculpture and decorative artwork to fit every budget.
Decorative Arts
For history buffs, a Tiffany Mosaic Glass Window in a landscape design, the cover lot, (lot 69, est. $60/80,000) offers an interesting tie to Boston. The window was commissioned in Memory of Margaret Baker from Tiffany Studios, New York, and signed. It is purported that it was installed in the ward room of the Woman’s Free Hospital in Brookline, Massachusetts in the early 20th century. The circular form, glass quality and composition make this a very important work in glass. This auction also includes lighting, art glass vases and bowls and a large selection of bronze desk items made by Tiffany from the early 1900’s.
More Massachusetts history comes in the way of the collection of Arthur Stone silver. Stone had a workshop in Gardner, Massachusetts during the Arts & Crafts period and later. His craftsman made hollowware and flatware by hand. The forms and quality of craftsmanship are exemplary. Examples include a mug, porringer and plate (lot 259, est. $6/800); a mixed metal covered box (lot 263, est. $2,5/3,500); a mixed metal bowl (lot 268, est. $14/16,000); and a decorated tray (lot 286, est. $1,6/1,800).
Two collections of pottery are of great significance in the auction. One collection of note is the work of Edwin Scheier, 1910-2008. Edwin and his wife Mary lived, taught, and made pottery vessels together for many years in New Hampshire and both continued to do so after they moved to Arizona. Though both are now deceased, the Currier Museum in Manchester, N.H. has a large collection of their work. A stoneware pottery vase and catalog (lot 481, est. $2/3,000); a stoneware pottery bowl (lot 482, est. $1,5/2,500); a stoneware pottery charger (lot 483, est. $1,5/2,500); and a digital print (lot 484, est. $3/500) depicting a female figure with two figures encircled by her arms in a stylized womb will be auctioned to benefit the Currier Museum. Another noteworthy collection is that of the woman of Newcomb College Pottery, New Orleans, early 1900’s. These women decorated some of the prettiest pottery ever seen, drawing inspiration from their local natural environment. The vases are glazed in shades of blue and green. The majority of the Newcomb offered in this sale is descended in the family of one of the decorators. Highlighted lots include an iris vase (lot 170, est. $3/5,000); a cylindrical decorated vase (lot 172, est. $1,5/2,500); two decorated tiles (lot 182A, est. $1,1,500); and a set of four small decorated bowls (lot 177, est. $8/1,200).
Furniture
Another highlight of the sale is the Art Deco furniture collection from the estate of Dr. Anella Brown, the first female surgeon in Boston. The collection includes a Grosfield House cabinet (lot 348, est. $15/20,000), which is quintessential Art Deco; a mirrored console table (lot 344, est. $1.2/1,800); and a coffee table (lot 347, est. $2/300).
